A Moment in Time
by steepedinshadows419
Summary: Post 2x23 & any Flashpoint SL - Barry & Iris visit Henry's grave on Memorial Day. Barry/Iris. Oneshot.


**A/N:** Just a little something for Memorial Day. I had a little dialogue written up around that day this year but I didn't get around to finishing it and then time slipped away from me. This, as most things these days, takes place after Barry gets back to the original TL. I'm going to go along with when the show ended, and so this would take place a couple weeks (or a little less) after that time resumes.

 ***** I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

 **…**

The grass was green and the air was fresh. A few puffy clouds in the sky and a warm breeze that tickled the skin made for a beautiful day in Central City – so far completely void of crime. Parades had finished at midday and other events speckled throughout the city. It was a day to honor those who had fought so hard for this country. Today they were being honored for the veterans they were, whether they had fallen during the war or had come home to their families.

It was warm for May. Everyone was in shorts or mini-skirts, sandals or flip-flops, t-shirts, spaghetti straps or tank tops, sunglasses or beach hats…everyone happy, smiling, celebrating, as if today wasn't a day to be solemn.

Cisco had even proclaimed a barbeque be held at his house – a not so large apartment with a 'backyard for kings', he'd proclaimed, whatever that meant. The Wests, Caitlin, and of course Barry were all invited to join. Cisco had insisted everyone stay away for a good half hour so he could begin to prepare the 'epic meal' he was going to give them. Just before Barry stole Iris away, not a word as to where they were going, he promised Cisco they'd be there right on schedule.

Never one to complain for being with Barry, Iris was still a little confused at how they had ended up at a cemetery. She knew – of course – that it was Memorial Day and cemeteries were likely where most veterans would be located. Still, unless Barry was paying homage to all the fallen soldiers in the city, she couldn't find a reason for his urgency in going. As far as she knew, there wasn't anyone in either of their families with any military experience, let alone someone that had fallen on the battlefield.

But she didn't say a word, just held his hand and walked with him. She knew he would talk when they reached the destination he had sought out. Barry was nothing if not direct with her – at least in most instances.

And then he stopped suddenly, making her almost trip over her own feet. He didn't seem to notice. That's when she knew it was serious. Barry tended notice every little thing about her all the time.

"Did you know my dad was in the military?" It was more statement than question.

Her eyes widened in surprise as her head turned in his direction. Barry only smiled faintly and nodded, barely sparing her a glance.

"He was," he continued. "Only for four years right out of high school, but he was. He never actually made it to the battlefield, but I still like to think of him as a veteran." Iris squeezed his hand in her grasp. "He discovered his love for medicine there, treating soldiers who came in wounded." He turned his head to look at her. "He saved lives…even as a young kid."

The look of awe in his eyes reflected in her own, though it couldn't be said justifiably that the emotions flooding for her was the newly departed Henry Allen.

The expression faded from his face and he appeared to draw into himself.

"After his time in the military, my dad came back to civilization and saved everybody's lives, normal people's lives, people who didn't sign up to risk their necks every single day for their country." He sighed and started to draw his hand away, maybe to put it in his pocket, but Iris held it firmly, causing Barry to look down between them. He stopped fighting the embrace he'd unconsciously tried to part from.

"He might not have died on the battlefield, but to me he's a veteran." He looked up at her again, appearing almost taken aback by the shameless devotion and love so evident on her face. "He was a hero," he said. "In his final moments, there were no regrets. He did everything to assure me it would be okay and that…" He lost his breath and turned away.

"Barry," Iris soothed and took a step closer, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'm here."

She felt the tension slowly seep out of him.

"…that he loves me," he finished. "He wanted me to know that no matter what."

She nodded against him, clasping his hand tighter than ever.

"War heroes aren't just on the battlefield, Barry."

He turned back to her and she lifted her head.

"I went through so much when I went back and changed time, Iris. I thought everything would be okay if I just had my parents alive again."

Iris offered a sympathetic smile.

"I learned the hard way you can't run from your problems. I found my peace in undoing all the damage I'd done in that one act of saving my mother. But…" He looked towards the tombstones just a few feet away. "I still miss him."

"You always will, Barry," she said softly. "He's your dad."

He nodded, but said nothing.

Briefly she turned slightly away to dig around for something in her tote. She pulled out one of the flimsy, yet remarkably still intact American flag they'd been handing out at the parades and all over downtown and held it out in front of him.

"Come on," she said, waiting for him to look down at the item in her hand and take it in his own. "Let's go honor your dad."

Still holding hands as if they'd been glued together, Barry and Iris walked past the graves until they reached Henry Allen's and Nora's beside it. Barry said a few words. Iris placed a flower next to where Barry set in the flag, and then they left the cemetery together, the silence only broken when Barry's cell phone went off to a whining Cisco complaining why they weren't at his epic barbeque.

Barry and Iris both laughed. They shared a knowing look, and then without warning Barry sped them off to Cisco's place only to find no one else had yet arrived.

Cisco turned and scoffed at them.

"Oh, sure. Of _course_ you use your speed." He turned back to the grill where only a few pieces of meat had been laid out. "Show off," he muttered.

Barry cracked a smile and got all the rest of the meat on the grill at superspeed, leaving Cisco in shock momentarily and then gawking.

"Okay, now you're _really_ showing off," he informed him.

Barry only looked towards what was supposed to be the 'epic backyard' and found it was just a shortcut to the park along the coast. He would've made a sarcastic comment if it hadn't occurred to him just what exactly had happened in that park in a timeline no one remembered.

He felt his heart thud faster in his chest when he realized he hadn't kissed Iris since he'd gotten back from the most recent alternate timeline. The urge to change that particular fact was almost overwhelming in its intensity.

"What is it, Bear?" Iris asked, sounding concerned.

Barry realized it was probably due to the dazed look on his face.

"Oh." He jumped a little, which only made her more suspicious. "Uh, nothing. I just…" he smiled to himself, "was thinking how great it would be to take a walk in the park later."

"My _epic backyard_ , you mean," Cisco laughed to himself, going back to check the meat on the grill.

Barry and Iris laughed at their genius friend's antics. The light chatter approaching caused all of them to look and see who'd arrived.

"Cisco…" Joe said, taking in the surroundings. "This is…nice."

" _Epic_ ," Cisco corrected him. "Yeah, it's epic."

Joe chuckled. Wally and Caitlin came out from behind him and offered to help Cisco with any further meal preparations.

Barry took Iris's hand and snuck out into said 'epic backyard' while everyone was distracted. He didn't tell her where they were going this time, but for some reason Iris was unbearably excited.

Maybe it was the wide grin on Barry's face, but her heart raced at the thought that had kept her awake most nights since the moment he had returned – the possibility that he might finally, _finally_ kiss her again.

 **…**

 **A/N:** Hope you were able to enjoy it, even if it was mostly Henry-centric and pretty somber. Hope to have another WA o/s up soon.


End file.
